Statistics show that 62% of American adults drink alcohol, and 19% of those admit that they think they drink more than they should. While many of us enjoy a drink or two without a second thought, the reality is that alcohol can trigger some strange reactions within our bodies.
Most of the time, the only effects we really think about are the post-drink warm, fuzzy feelings. However, heavy drinking is not good for the body. The CDC recommends two or fewer drinks daily for men and one drink or less daily for women.
What are some of the strangest things that happen to your body when you drink? Check out this list from experts such as Healthline and see how many you have experienced.
1. It Gives You Euphoric Feelings
Do you wonder why the hidden musician in you comes out when you’re tipsy? One of the most immediate and noticeable effects of alcohol consumption is the feeling of euphoria. Alcohol affects the brain’s reward system by increasing dopamine, a chemical linked to pleasure and happiness. This boost can make you feel very happy and carefree.
Unfortunately, this feeling is fleeting and often followed by a crash. As your blood alcohol level decreases, the enhanced dopamine levels drop, which can lead to feelings of sadness or irritability. It’s a classic case of what goes up must come down, and it exemplifies the rollercoaster of emotions that alcohol can induce.
2. It Makes Your Breath Stink
A drunk person’s breath can drown a fish. As alcohol dehydrates your body, it reduces saliva production, which is critical for removing food particles and bacteria from your mouth. This lack of saliva allows bacteria to flourish, leading to bad breath.
Alcohol itself has a distinct odor that can linger on your breath long after you’ve stopped drinking, too. The combination of these factors can make your breath quite unpleasant. That’s quite socially inconvenient and personally uncomfortable.
3. It Can Give You A Red Nose
If you’ve ever noticed someone’s nose turning red after a few drinks, it’s not your imagination. Alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate, and in some people, this dilation is particularly noticeable in the face and nose. This can result in a flushed or red appearance.
For some, this reaction is more pronounced due to a condition known as rosacea, which alcohol can exacerbate. Don’t wonder anymore why you look more like a clown after a few glasses, it’s the nose doing its red thing.
4. Alcohol Makes You Chilly
Despite the initial warmth that alcohol might bring, it actually causes your body to lose heat. Alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate, bringing blood closer to the surface of your skin. This can make you feel warm initially, but it also means your body is losing heat faster than usual.
This effect can be particularly dangerous in cold environments, which might lead to hypothermia. So, while it might feel like a good idea to drink something warm on a cold night, it could actually make you colder in the long run. Carry your jacket on your night out.
5. Hay Fever Symptoms
Believe it or not, alcohol can trigger hay fever-like symptoms in some people. This is often due to histamines and sulfites found in many alcoholic beverages, particularly wine and beer. These compounds can cause allergic reactions such as sneezing, itching, and nasal congestion.
For those who already suffer from allergies, drinking alcohol can worsen these symptoms, making it feel like you have hay fever. It’s an unexpected and uncomfortable reaction that can put a damper on your drinking experience.
6. It Blocks New Memories
You wake up in a strange apartment wearing a wedding ring, and you don’t remember how you got there and aren’t married (as far as you know)? Welcome to alcohol’s impact on memory formation. Alcohol can interfere with the brain’s ability to consolidate new information, leading to incidents where you can’t remember events from the night before.
This occurs because alcohol disrupts the functioning of the hippocampus, a region of the brain critical for forming new memories. While you might be fully conscious and active during a blackout, your brain cannot record these experiences, leading to gaps in your memory.
7. It Makes You Sweaty
Alcohol can also make you sweat more than usual. This is because it affects your central nervous system, which in turn stimulates your sweat glands. This increased perspiration can occur even if you’re not in a warm environment or physically active.
The sweating can be noticeable and uncomfortable, often leading to damp clothes and an unpleasant odor. Alcohol isn’t short of ways to make social situations awkward and less enjoyable.
8. It Makes Everyone Pretty
Alcohol is infamous for its ability to alter your perception of attractiveness. Known colloquially as “beer goggles,” this phenomenon occurs because alcohol lowers your inhibitions and impairs your judgment, making others appear more attractive than they might seem when you’re sober.
This altered perception can lead to regrettable decisions and awkward encounters.
9. It Can Give You Anxiety
While alcohol can initially act as a sedative, reducing anxiety and making you feel more relaxed, it often has the opposite effect once it leaves your system. This rebound anxiety, sometimes referred to as “hangxiety,” can be quite severe.
The anxiety can be both psychological and physical, leading to racing thoughts, heart palpitations, and a general sense of unease. It might offer temporary relief from stress but often comes at a high cost.
10. Hangover Headaches
The dreaded hangover headache is a well-known consequence of heavy drinking. Alcohol causes dehydration, which in turn leads to headaches. It also triggers inflammation and affects neurotransmitter activity in the brain, contributing to pain.
These headaches can be debilitating, making it difficult to function the next day. Even whispers will sound like an elephant is trumpeting in your ears.
11. It Lowers Blood Sugar
Alcohol can cause your blood sugar levels to drop, leading to symptoms of hypoglycemia such as dizziness, weakness, and confusion. This is because alcohol affects the liver’s ability to release glucose into the bloodstream.
For those with diabetes, this effect can be particularly dangerous, as it can lead to severe hypoglycemia. Even for those without diabetes, the drop in blood sugar can result in discomfort and impaired cognitive function.
12. Slurred Speech
Does your tongue get heavy and words blurry after a few bottles? Alcohol affects the brain’s speech centers, leading to slurred speech. This occurs because alcohol impairs the motor functions required for articulate speech, making it difficult to pronounce words correctly.
Slurred speech is not only a clear sign of intoxication but can also lead to misunderstandings and social embarrassment. It’s another way alcohol can impair your ability to communicate effectively.
13. It Shrinks Your Brain
Prolonged alcohol consumption has a detrimental effect on brain size and structure. Research has shown that heavy drinking can lead to a decline in brain volume, impacting cognitive abilities and memory. This is because alcohol is neurotoxic, meaning it can damage or kill brain cells, leading to brain shrinkage over time.
This effect is not immediate but rather the result of long-term alcohol abuse, making it a serious consideration for those who consume alcohol regularly.
14. It Increases the Risk of Heart Disease
While moderate drinking may have some cardiovascular benefits, excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of heart disease. It can cause high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, and a weakened heart muscle, known as cardiomyopathy.
These conditions raise the chances of heart attacks and strokes, making heavy drinking a major risk factor. Moderation is key, and it’s important to monitor how alcohol affects your heart health over time.
19 Things You Shouldn’t Fear as You Get Older
As we grow older, it’s common for our fears to grow alongside us and sometimes hold us back from enjoying our lives. Many of these worries come from not knowing what will happen as we age. The media (social and news) also makes older folks unnecessarily fearful about their health and vitality- often painting a picture of disaster, decline, and disease.
19 Things You Shouldn’t Fear as You Get Older
14 Tough Parts About Getting Older No One Shares
Some people celebrate the first grey hair and the first wrinkle, while others are horrified at the first sign of aging and do all they can to eliminate it. The tell-tale signs of aging are met with varied reactions, but they all indicate one thing—no one will be left by this aging train.
14 Tough Parts About Getting Older No One Shares
I’m a Language and Literary Studies (Honors) graduate with 11 years of experience in magazine and blog writing and content creation. I’m passionate about storytelling for change and believe in the power of words to make a difference. My writing is thought-provoking, accessible, and engaging, focusing on the Psychology of human behavior, complex social issues, personal experiences, and the latest trends. I’m a wife and a Mom of three.